230 Measuring, delineating, and describing Fruits, 



Art. XVIII. On measuring, delineating, and describing Fruits, 

 <with a Glossary of Terms for the last Purpose. By W. 

 R. Y. 



Botanists use the term line, the 1 2th of an inch, in desig- 

 nating the size of the minute parts of plants ; but it appears 

 to me, that the eighth part, or octem, of an inch is a much 

 more suitable size, as applicable to orcharding. The common 

 foot-rule is so divided, and being carried by every master-gar- 

 dener, it can always be applied either to fruits, flowers, or leaves. 

 This rule gives ninety-six octems to a foot, and these octems 

 being divided into halves and quarters, by the eye in applying 

 the octem, will, it is presumed, be sufficiently accurate for 

 every thing required in the fruit-garden. My rule {fig. 69.) 



69 



I I I 



I made myself, of a piece of box-wood, and it extends as far 

 as a hundred octems ; but a common foot rule will do for every 

 purpose. 



I have before stated my opinion (p. 70.), that the easiest 

 mode of taking the measurement of apples, is by divid- 

 ing them into two parts, and taking the impression upon 

 paper. In soft and juicy fruit, like the grape or the peach, 

 however, this cannot be done, and I have therefore made for 

 myself a box (y^. 70.), by which I have contrived to remedy 



70 g ^_ _- c 



this mconve- 

 nience. This 

 drawing-.box, 

 as I shall call 

 it, is about 1 8 

 in. long, 9 in. 

 broad, and 2 

 in. deep ; it 

 has double 

 lids ofany size 

 less than the 

 rims of the 

 box {a); one 

 of these lids 



[b) is^ a pane of glass in a wooden frame ; the other lid {c) 

 is a schoolboy's slate. The lids may be slightly hinged, so 

 as to fall back and rest upon a table or board at d, and so as 

 the uppermost, or slate, lid (c) may fall quite out of the way 

 of the innermost, or glass, lid [b). 



